Miss Sophie: Know how to use saffron right before you break your bank account

When Steve says, “I bought you a present,” this means he has bought something practical, readable or edible that he knows I will enjoy — it never means jewelry or frivolous gifts. He had made the same statement a few days later when he bought me some extra forks and spoons in our stainless pattern.

On this particular night my present was in a grocery bag. He pulled out a spice bottle that contained a tiny bag of red saffron threads.

“It’s gold!” he explained, referring to the price he had paid for it.

Steve was right — saffron is like gold. In fact, it is the most expensive spice on the market. Little did Steve know that he got by cheap by purchasing it from a mass-producing spice manufacturer. If he had bought the “good stuff” he would have paid between $50 and $80 an ounce. A bit extravagant, but when you understand what it takes to get those tiny red threads, you can better understand why they cost so much.

Saffron is the red stigma of the Saffron Crocus flower. The saffron crocus is a sterile flower in that its blooms produce no seeds. Its corm, which is similar to a bulb, but structurally different, must be dug up, divided and replanted by human hands in order for it to propagate. Each corm bears an 8- to 12-inch plant with three to four flowers. The flowers all bloom within in a two to three week time span in autumn. The flowers that appear at dawn wilt quickly as the day progresses.

Harvesting the stigma of the crocus flower must be done by hand. The dawn blooming flowers have be picked within a two-hour window after blooming and before it begins to wilt. Once the flowers are picked, they are taken to a house or a barn and the long red stigmas are hand plucked from the blooms. The stigmas are then dried over charcoal heat for about an hour and bundled together and sent to market.

Each crocus bloom produces three stigmas, or saffron threads. It takes 150 flowers to produce 1 gram of dried saffron threads. So that means the ounce that Steve brought home in that tiny bag took around 400 to 450 hand-planted, handpicked and hand- plucked flowers.

If you decide to purchase some of this “gold,” you need to know a few things about using and storing them. Ground saffron is usually not pure saffron, so unless you are purchasing from a reputable dealer, stay away from it. Saffron threads need to be crushed and rehydrated in warm liquid for a minimum of 15 minutes — longer if possible, to draw out the flavor. Saffron is used as a colorant and will turn your hands and your counter a bright yellow very quickly. Store your saffron threads in an air tight container away from light and heat and use within a year. Remember — as the color fades, so does the flavor.

Saffron smells a bit like hay and gives an earthy flavor and a vibrant yellow color to a dish. It is a very potent seasoning and a little goes long ways, so don’t get overzealous when using it. Most recipes call for “a pinch of threads.” A pinch of saffron is equal to about ¼ teaspoon of threads.

Once you get a loan and buy some of these beautiful red threads, there are so many ways to use them. Add them to your rice, make a Spanish paella or add a thread or two to your tea for a flavor boost. I even found cookie and cake recipes using saffron.

I chose this simple dish for a saffron cream and chicken. The flavor of the cream would be delicious on anything and it was even better the next day.

Teri Bell is co-owner of Miss Sophie’s Marketplace at the Mighty Eighth in Pooler. Go to sophiesmarketplace.com.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH SAFFRON CREAM SAUCE

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt & Pepper

2 ½ tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces your favorite mushrooms, sliced thin

2 large shallots

¾ cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

¾ cup heavy cream

½ cup frozen peas (optional)

In a small bowl, microwave ½ cup of chicken broth until warm. Crush saffron threads with a mortar and pestal or on a plate with the back of a spoon. Add crushed saffron threads to broth and allow to steep in the broth for 30 minutes or longer.

Butterfly chicken breasts by cutting through the middle so that you have 4 thin chicken breasts. Salt and pepper chicken breasts. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy frying pan large enough to hold the chicken breasts. Add the chicken breasts to the oil and saute, turning once, until they are done – 10 -12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken. Transfer chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 ½ tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the mushrooms are browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add the wine, the ½ cup of chicken broth and the saffron threads along with the broth they were soaked in and simmer until reduced by half, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook at high heat for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce becomes slightly thick. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper accordingly. Stir in peas and add chicken breasts to the cream sauce and heat just long enough to warm the chicken breasts. Serve with your favorite pasta or rice.

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